Game apparatus.



Na. 643,953. vPaume@ Feb. 20, |900.'

1.- H-. ELLES.

GAME APPARATUS.

(Applicationled July 14, 1899. (No Model.)

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. UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. ELLER, OF LEXINGTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO'ALLEN' B. BEVERSTOOK, OF SAME PLACE.

GAME APPARATUS.'4

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 643,953, dated February 20, 1900.

Application filed July 14., 18991 Serial No. 723,854. (No model.)

v State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an attachment for pool-tables, and it may, if desired, be constructed as a separate table itself; but the invention is particularly adapted to use in connection with the usual pool-table, it being arranged to be placed on and removed from the same at will.

This specification is the disclosure of two forms of my invention, While the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention applied to a pool-table, which is indicated by dotted lines in the figure. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the invention, also indicating the table by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is aview of a modification in which the game apparatus is arranged separate from the pool-table, and Fig. 5 is a view showing the bell-ringing device partly in side elevation and partly in section.

The game apparatus has a bed or bottom 5, covered with felt, as the usual pool-table, and provided at the foot or distant end with a hinged leaf 6, which when extended, as shown in Fig. 2, serves to support the bed in the inclined position shown and which may fold up into the cavity 7, formed in the under side of the bed 5 to permit the bed to lie flat upon any supporting-surface. The bed or bottom 5 is formed with a foot-WallS and a head-wall 9, connected by side walls 10. The foot-wall 8 is unbroken and is provided with a dead-4 cushion 11, and the head-wall 9 is constructed without a cushion. The side walls 10 are provided at their middles with orifices 12,Which when the apparatus' is used in connection with a pool-table lead the balls to the side pockets of the pool-table, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, and when the apparatus is used by itself, as shown in Fig. 4, the orifices 12 lead to side pockets 14, formed in the table, as Fig. 4 shows. The corners between the side walls 10 and the head-wall 9 are formed with orifices 15, which when the apparatus is used in connection with a pooltable lead to the adjacent corner-pockets of the same, and when the apparatus is used alone, as shown in Fig. 4, the orifices 15 lead to the corner-pockets 16, one of which is shown in the figure referred to. The side walls 10 of the game apparatus are provided with cushions 17, (see Fig. 3,) constructed to cause the balls to rebound.

The upper or working surface of the bed or bottom 5 is formed with a number of perpendicular pins 18, which are arranged in the manner shown and divided into two groups, one at each side, so as to leave a passage 19 extending longitudinally along the table. At the end of this passage 19, adjacent to the head-wall 9 of the table, a cue-block 20 is located, such block having a groove 21 in its upper face, in which the cue is guided. The bed or bottom 5 is also provided on itsupper surface with a number of blocks 22, having numbers thereon and having curved walls, as

shown in Fig. 1, so that balls may be placed against the blocks and held from rolling on the inclined bed or bottom 5. The upper surface of the bed or bottom 5, adjacent to the foot-wall 8, is provided with a number of concavities 28, (for one of which see Fig. 2,) in which balls 24 are adapted to be placed. These balls and concavities are here shown as being three in number. It will be understood, however, that they may be increased or diminished in number at will. The game apparatus is also provided, adjacent to each side and to the foot thereof, with wire arches or like structures 25, on which two arms 26 are hung. These arms carry at their lower ends a cross-bar 27, which in turn supports a bell 28. When one of the balls 24 passes beneath the arch 25, it engages with the crossbar 27 thereof and throws the same, with the arms 26, outward toward the head of the game apparatus, and then the arms 26 as they swing back will engage a rod 29, placed horizontally between the verticalmembers of the arch, so that the bell 28 is thus jarred and rung. The arms 26 are located on the side of ICO the bar 29, adjacent to the head of the gaine apparatus, and consequently the bell will not be sounded when the cross-bar 27 is engaged by a ball passing toward thefoot of the apparatus. A cue--ball 30 is also provided and is normally placed at the inner end of the eueblock 20, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The ball shown in Fig. 3 may be considered to be either one of the balls 24 or the ball 30, as will be better understood hereinafter.

The balls, owing to the inclination of the bed or bottom 5, will naturally tend to roll toward the head thereof, and for returning the balls to the foot of the apparatus I provide an inclined channel 31, which is connected with and supported on the apparatus by means of rods 32, attached to clips on the adjacent side rail 10 and on the channel 3l. This channel has an inclination toward the foot of the apparatus, so that the balls placed in the channel will gravitate toward the foot, thus avoidingr the necessity of carrying the balls from the head to the foot.

In using the invention the balls 24 are placed in the cavities 23, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the cue-ball 30 is placed as also shown in those views. The cue-ball should now be projected by means of the usual pool or billiard cue, and the player should endeavor to dislodge any one or allof the balls 24. These balls when dislodged will roll down the table toward the head thereof and may possibly pass through the arches 25 and also lodge against the blocks 22. It is also possible for the balls to pass out of the apparatus by Way of the orifices 12 and 15. Any desired rules may be adopted for the gaine. I consider it best, however, to arrange the rules so that should the balls 24lodge on the blocks 22 or pass beneath the arches 25 such movements will count a certain amount in favor of the player, and should the balls pass out through the orifices 12 or 15 the player will lose. The several balls may be given different colors to distinguish them, and the balls 24 may be arranged to have a dierent value, so as to make diiferentcounts for the player, all of which may be changed at will without affecting the essential features of my invention. Fig. 4 simply shows the game apparatus mounted on legs 33 instead of being arranged to be supported on a billiard-table, as in Figs. 1 and 2. When the game apparatus is mounted on a billiard-table, it may be provided at its head with a strip 34 of felt to prevent injuring the table and may also be provided with a strip 35 of felt on the leaf 16 for the same purpose.

It may be observed that to project the ball 30 toward the balls 24 by means of a cue and to dislodge these balls willrequire what is known as a billia1d-shot-that is to say, a shot of such a nature as to cause the cueball to rebound in a certain previously-determined manner. rlhe game therefore involves a large measure of skill, and this in connection with the chance afforded by the-pins 18 and blocks 22 will make a very interesting game apparatus. For the purpose of permitting the clear passage of the cue-ball toward the foot of the apparatus I provide the space or passage 19 between the groups of pins 18.

Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of my invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention. I'IenceIconsider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the scope of my claims. l

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A game apparatus, having an arch, a cross-bar secured to and extending between vertical portions of the arch, arms hanging from the arch and swinging thereon, a crossbar extending between the arms and carried thereby and adapted to be engaged by a member passing beneath the arch, and a bell mounted to swing with the arms and to sound as the arms return against the first-named cross-bar.

2. Agame apparatus, having a bed or body adapted to stand at an inclination and to have balls rolled over it, walls at the edges of the bed or body, the walls having openings for the outward passage of the balls, pins standing on the bed or bodyand arranged in groups with a passage between them, and a cueblock fastened to the bed or bodyin line with said passage and serving to guide the cue in driving the ball through the passage.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination with a body portion, of an elevated structure mounted thereon and adapted to have objects roll beneath it, a bell, and means for supporting the bell, such means being hung from said elevated structure to swing thereon in the path of the rolling object, the elevated structure having a part in the path of swing of said means, which means are adapted to rebound against the saidl part of the elevated structure, whereby to sound the bell.

JOSEPH H. ELLER.

Witnesses:

E. M. SMEEN, C. S. PRossER.

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